Howling Passion (Passion Moon 1): (A Shifter, Supernatural Romance)

by Renee Jordan

  I didn't want to think about the or.

  So how did he hurt Forrest? And what was up with that animal growl I heard. Was that just some beast in the woods, or was I hallucinating still?

  I can always just ask Forrest.

  I decided to do that as I shampooed my hair three times—I wanted to make sure my hair was clean—and conditioned it once. Finally feeling like a living person, I slipped out of the shower and dried off. I found another towel, this one a faded blue, and wrapped up my hair to dry while I applied a light bit of makeup. Just enough to enhance my own, natural beauty—brighten my lips, enhance my cheekbones, make my lashes even more lush.

  Brushing my hair wasn't as bad as I feared. I worked out the snags, and my auburn locks fell in a curly mass about my shoulders, framing my face. I don't remember the last time I looked so cute. I admired my face in the mirror, striking a few poses.

  Forrest would be excited when he saw me. If he was a wolf, his tail would be thumping away.

  I slipped on a red, t-backed thong and a pair of hip-hugging jeans with rhinestone hearts on the back pockets—I loved how this pair hugged my butt—and slipped on a flowery blouse that left a bit of my midriff bare.

  I was ready to face the world.

  I heard voices talking as I headed downstairs and dishes clattering in the kitchen. Who else was here? A nervous twinge tickled my stomach by the time I reached the bottom of the stairs. I followed the sounds down a short hallway that opened on a kitchen-dining room combination. A group of men and one woman dressed in cop uniforms sat around a long table cluttered with plates.

  They all turned to look at me, not saying a word, their eyes alert, examining me.

  “Um, hi,” I said.

  “So this the girl, huh?” asked a tall, lean man with a shock of red hair on his head.

  “Yes, she is,” Forrest said, striding out of the kitchen dressed in his Sheriff's uniform. He reached the table and set a plate covered in pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon at the empty spot. “Hungry?” Then he noticed how cleaned up I was. His jaw didn't drop, but his cheek muscles twinged and his eyes grew wide before his hungry smile spread across his lips.

  “Yes,” I said, pleased by his attention.

  I walked forward and sat in the empty chair between the one woman—a blonde with flashing, green eyes and a lolling smile—and a ruddy-faced man with chiseled chin and intense, blue eyes.

  “I'm, um, Kotie,” I said to the cops, feeling so self-conscious.

  “Kiernan,” the ruddy-faced man said. The woman kept staring at me, studying me like I was a bug.

  Forrest sat at the head of the table and the deputies heads all snapped to look at him. Forrest's eyes scanned across his deputies before nodding his head in approval. “We're going to have a long one, today. This Christian needs to be found.”

  “How, sir?” the red-haired man asked. “We tracked him for three miles last night, and then his trail just...poofed.” The man made a big gesture, throwing his arms wide.

  “The man has talents, Hank,” Forrest said. “But he's not a ghost. We've dealt with his kind before.”

  “What if he fled Moonrise?” the woman asked. “He could be half-way across Montana by now.”

  “He's not. I can feel him on the back of my neck. He's still lurking around Moonrise.” Anger grew in Forrest's voice. “He threatened my woman. He's a threat to the town. Finding him is our priority.”

  I blushed at the intensity of Forrest's voice. The deputies all bristled, their faces growing hungry. The cops reminded me of a pack of wolves about to spring on the prey, guided by their alpha. They all were as angry as Forrest. They took the attack on me far more personal than I thought cops should.

  “Course, boss,” Kiernan said. “We'll run this bastard down. Teach him how things work in Moonrise.”

  “Vanessa and Hank, I want you to shadow Kotie today. This bastard wants her. I don't want to give him the chance again.”

  The woman, Vanessa, gave me another glance. I swallowed, shrinking beneath her gaze. She didn't approve of me. Did she have feelings for Forrest? Or did she think her boss was moving far too quick with a woman he met only the day before?

  “I'll protect your little toy, boss,” she growled, licking her chops.

  Forrest smacked his fist on the table and glowered at Vanessa. The woman returned his gaze, her blonde hair almost bristling. The other deputies grew tense. I swallowed, scooting away from the woman. Forrest and Vanessa's stare continued for a minute, and then Vanessa shrank down and broke the gaze.

  “Sorry, boss,” she muttered. “I'll protect your woman.”

  Forrest nodded.

  What had just happened? If this was a pack of wolves, I'd say she had tried to challenge the alpha and lost. But that doesn't make a bit of sense. They're cops. He's their sheriff. They should just obey him without trying to challenge his authority.

  “Kiernan, I want you and Xavier to check out the Moon Tear Spring. Make sure Christian isn't hanging around there.”

  Why there? Christian mentioned some power or source or something he was searching for.

  “Roger, boss,” Kiernan nodded.

  “Okay, let's hunt this bastard down,” Forrest nodded, standing up. His men, except Vanessa and Hank, stood as well, striding out of the room. Forrest walked over to me, a big smile on his face. He leaned down and kissed me on the lips.

  “Forrest,” I whispered when he broke the kiss. “How did Christian hurt you?”

  “He surprised me,” Forrest said. “And cut me.”

  “With a knife?”

  He shrugged. “Vanessa and Hank will watch out for you, okay. So don't worry about Christian. My boys will run him down. He can't stay hidden in this town forever.”

  “Okay.”

  “I love you, Kotie.”

  I blushed and nodded.

  “I'll see you later, okay.”

  “Take care, dear,” I said. “I...I love you, too.” My heart beat faster as I said those words. A pleased grin spread across his lips. He gave me a quick kiss before striding out of the room.

  “He really imprinted on you,” laughed Hank. “I never thought I'd see the day. More than a few women have made a fool of themselves trying to land him.”

  Vanessa stiffened beside me. “You bark like an old dog, Hank,” she muttered, pushing back her plate and standing up. “Let's clean up the kitchen. You can wash.”

  Hank shrugged, standing up as well, a smirk on his lips. “You enjoy your breakfast, ma'am,” he nodded. “Me and the she-bitch will clean things up.”

  Vanessa barred her teeth and Hank just laughed as he scooped up the dirty plates. I had never seen anything like it. I swear they were wolves in human skins. Did I enter some surreal world when I crossed into Moonrise? Did Christian really try to cast magic on me? And maybe all these cops were really just a pack of werewolves.

  I giggled at how ridiculous that sounded. Vanessa gave me a questioning look. “Nothing,” I said, digging into my pancakes.

  I was famished. I couldn't believe I polished off the entire plate. Three pancakes, a mess of scrambled eggs, and four strips of bacon. I leaned back in my chair when I finished, my eyes closing, savoring the warmth in my belly.

  Hank came back in, setting a cup of coffee before me. He sat across from me, leaning back in his chair, sipping his own. “So, Kotie, what brought you all the way out to Moonrise?”

  “Yes,” Vanessa added, leaning against a buffet behind me.

  I swallowed. “Are you interrogating me?”

  “Just wanting to get to know the boss's woman,” Vanessa said with a casual air.

  Hank nodded. “You're part of the...family now, Kotie. We just want to get to know you.”

  “Family?”

  “We look out for each other. You're a part of that now.” Hank's face grew hard. “This Christian's going to hate the day we get our hands on him. We do not appreciate that one bit.”

  “Are you going to bring any more trouble
, Kotie?” Vanessa demanded.

  “I...I have an ex,” I admitted. I sipped at the coffee and told them about running from Burt.

  Chapter Six: Afternoon Delight

  It was an uncomfortable ride to my new job.

  I rode with Vanessa in her police cruiser. It was brand new, probably from some Federal grant money, and was sleek and modern. The police radio constantly crackled as the deputies searched Moonrise and the surrounding woods for Christian.

  Even after spilling my story, Vanessa hadn't warmed up to me. Her green eyes were suspicious, like she believed I was hiding something. I kept telling her I had no idea why Christian was obsessed with me. It was getting quite frustrating.

  Hank was different. He nodded his head, gave me a friendly pat when I finished telling my story, and told Vanessa to drop her questions.

  So why did he insist that I drive with Vanessa down to the Moon Tear Roadhouse?

  “So, um, how long have you been a deputy?” I asked, hating the awkward silence as we drove down the winding switchback from Forrest's house.

  “Three years,” she answered with an almost cold growl. “Forrest saw potential in me when I wandered into town.”

  “So he offered you a job?”

  “You could say that,” she muttered.

  “So, um, you and he, were you...involved?”

  “No.”

  Her answer was flat and terse, her knuckles whitening as she gripped the steering wheel.

  “Oh, so you...?”

  Vanessa gave me a stare, and I clammed up.

  “So, um, do you like being a cop?”

  “Deputy,” she corrected. “And I do. It's exciting. Every day brings something new. This may look like a sleepy town, but the miners working the Humpback are a rowdy bunch, and the Donovan Clan are always up to something. Smuggling, fencing stolen goods, drug-dealing, and prostitution.”

  “Prostitution?” I blinked. “Out here?” That didn't fit with my impression of the quiet, sleepy mountain town in Montana.

  “They have these camper trailers they move about that the women stay in,” she answered. “Plenty of young men working the mines are looking for some companionship after a long day. The pickings can be slim in town. Sometimes we find the trailers, but those pack of degenerate mongrels are good at keeping them moving.”

  “I guess that does sound exciting,” I nodded.

  “Course, the most exciting thing to happen in a year and I'm stuck babysitting.”

  “Sorry,” I whispered, looking away. “I don't mean to cause all these problems. I didn't ask that creep to become obsessed with me.”

  “Of course you didn't,” Vanessa sneered. “Fucking witches.”

  “What?” I asked, a boil of anger rising inside me. “Did you just call me a witch?”

  “Christian,” she corrected. “We had his scent. We were nearing on him, and then it just ended. Fucking witches.”

  “Are you saying he casts spells?” I demanded.

  “Don't worry about it. We'll sort Christian out when we find him. This is our town. He can't stay hidden forever.”

  Did Christian really cast a spell on me? I had to know. “Does he use magic? Because yesterday, I thought he tried to...I don't know, dominate me. Control my body. I felt these, like, points trying to bury into my body.”

  Vanessa glanced at me, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. “He probably did. He wants something from you. There's something you're hiding. From us.”

  “Well, I'm not,” I huffed, tired of telling her.

  “You better not hurt him.”

  “Him? Forrest?”

  Vanessa nodded. “He's imprinted on you. So don't break his heart.”

  “I wouldn't,” I assured her. “He's...he's a wonderful man.” A smile crossed my lips. “I've never been loved so fierce by anyone. The last thing I want is to ever hurt him. He saved me, Vanessa. In more than just rescuing me from Christian. He rescued me from my fear. I don't have to be afraid of Burt anymore. That bastard can't ever hurt me again. Even if he found me, I know Forrest will protect me. Last night, I lived for the first time in two years. I will never hurt him.”

  Vanessa's green eyes bored into mine, touching my soul. Then she nodded, a friendly smile crossing her lips. “Good. You make him happy. That's worth all the trouble your causing.”

  I blinked. “Thanks?” Had I won her over with that speech?

  The light turned green, and she made the left turn onto Spring Drive. Vanessa relaxed on the drive down the main street of Moonrise. I stared out the window, absorbing the names of the shops and businesses, memorizing which I would visit when I got paid. Forrest had a lovely house, but it definitely needed a woman's touch.

  Vanessa turned her cruiser into the gravel parking lot of the bar, parking, and turning her engine off. Hank, who followed us in his police SUV, parked on the street in front of the bar. “Hank will cover the front, and I'll keep an eye on the rear.”

  “Thank you kindly for this,” I smiled. Vanessa was fierce. Christian would be stupid to try anything with her around.

  “You're part of the family now.” Then she leaned over and gave me a warm, protective hug. I couldn't help smiling as I hugged her back.

  Forrest's deputies were tight knit. It was nice. I haven't had a family since my mother passed away all those years ago. Sure Wayne had “raised me,” and I use that term loosely, but he had never been family.

  I climbed out of the car, my heeled boots crunching on the gravel as I walked around to the front door of the Moon Tear Roadhouse, passing beneath the neon sign. I pushed into the dim interior. All the chairs were sitting upside down on the tables, the floor swept clean.

  “Hello?” I called. “Miss Maggie?”

  My new employer bustled out of through a pair of swinging doors, a big smile on her face. She ambled over and gave me a big hug. “I'm so glad for you.”

  “So you've heard about me and the Sheriff?” I blinked.

  “He's left his mark all of you,” she chuckled. “You're positively glowing this morning.” Her grin grew sly. “Was he that good?”

  My cheeks warmed. “Yes. Yes, he was.”

  Miss Maggie gave a wicked, rumbling laugh. “You can tell me all the details as we get ready.”

  I didn't intend to tell her all the details, but it was hard to refuse Miss Maggie as we took down the tables. She added her own ribald tales of her past adventures. She may look like a grandmotherly matron, but she had a wild past.

  “Never found my mate,” she sighed. “Always hoped he was out there. You're a lucky one.”

  “We just had one night,” I blushed. “It's a little premature to think this is permanent.”

  Miss Maggie's eyes locked on mine. “Not for him. That's just who he is. He's found you. The two of you are gonna have a wonderful life.”

  “That's sounds nice,” I smiled, my thoughts drifting to a far off wedding. In my mind, Forrest filled out his suite like a dashing gentleman as I marched up the aisle in my white dress, clutching the arm of my father.

  Well, I'm definitely more likely to marry Forrest than ever meeting my father.

  “Trust me, child, you won't regret opening your heart fully to him.”

  “Thanks, Miss Maggie. I think I'm doing that anyways.” But it was nice to hear the advice from someone else.

  The Moon Tear Roadhouse opened at eleven. I manned the bar, wearing a simple, white apron around my waist. “It's real simple, child,” Miss Maggie said. “The louts the come in here rarely want something more difficult than a jack and coke, and I'm sure you can handle that. If someone wants something more complicated, give me a holler.”

  “Will do,” I said, putting up a front of confidence.

  A few older man came in, smiling at me. They were such darlings, flirting with me, telling me how pretty I was. They played cars, sipping at their beers and eating sandwiches that Miss Maggie delivered from the kitchen without them even ordering. I bet they came in each day, whiling aw
ay the hours with their cards.

  I didn't even mind it when Dodger, a scrawny old man with gray hair sticking out of his ears and liver spots on his head, grabbed my butt as I brought them out fresh beers. It was kinda cute. I playfully knocked his hand away. “I thought I reminded you of your daughter?” I winked at him.

  He just chortled, “My daughter never had a behind as pretty as yours.”

  What a sweet, old man.

  A few of the Donovan boys wandered in around noon. They weren't the same ones I met yesterday, but they had the same dirty, disreputable cast about their sallow faces. They slunk into the tables, ordering a pitcher of beer and a plate of nachos.

  “What's up with the cops, dearie?” one asked when I brought out their nachos. “Did Miss Maggie piss off the Sheriff?”

  “They're my bodyguards,” I smiled. “So you best mind your hands and your manners.”

  A scrawny one with lank, blond hair whooped, “She's got the Sheriff's stank all over her snatch. Don't wanna mess with that.”

  I fixed him with a glare. “What part of minding your manners didn't you understand? You apologize right this instance, or I'll throw all your skinny asses out of here.”

  For a moment, the man glared at me, casting his hostile defiance into my face. But I copied what Forrest did, and stared back. His eyes shifted, then he looked down while his buddies laughed. “Sorry, ma'am,” he muttered. “Weren't no call to talk about your...um...there.”

  Nodding in satisfaction, I turned back to the bar. Miss Maggie watched from the kitchen doors and gave me a wink before she disappeared back into the kitchen.

  Miners drifted in for lunch. They were dirty, but not in the same way as the Donovan boys. Their dirt seemed more honest. They worked to get that dirty. I never imagined a bar would get so crowded before evening, but the place was almost full for two hours before the lunch rush slowly bled away.

  But I had a pocket full of tips from the miners when they left. “They get paid a lot,” Miss Maggie said as the lull died and she saw me staring at the wads of bills I pulled out of my pocket. “And there ain't nothing for them to spend it on in Moonrise.”